Review: Wonder Woman Vol. 2- Year One

Quick Summary

Pros: Emotions and relationships between Wonder Woman and everyone else are portrayed in an honest and realistic way. Wonder Woman’s origin is new and fresh, even for fans familiar with it. The book as a whole is very uplifting and optimistic.

Cons: Not everyone will like the fact that there is not a ton of action in this book. The ending happens rather quickly.

Overall: Whether you are a new or old Wonder Woman reader, you will not be disappointed with this volume. Here we see the young Diana Prince leave her home and family in order to face a greater evil in man’s world. Though it is not the most action packed book on the shelves, emotion and heart more than make up for it. This is a book for anyone even remotely interested in learning about Wonder Woman’s first few years as a hero.

Story

Greg Rucka is certainly no stranger to the Princess of Themiscyra, as his past Wonder Woman stories are some of the most famous and highly regarded out there, so people had high expectations for him in regards to taking on her new origin story. Not only did Rucka meet these expectations, he exceeded them. Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One is a fantastic story that shows Wonder Woman at her most hopeful, optimistic, and true. It doesn’t have all the action and drama that many comics have but, in my opinion, it does not need it. Instead it relies on good storytelling, character development, and wonder in order to craft a captivating and memorable performance out of each and every cast member.

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This is an origin story so, quiet obviously, it starts at Wonder Woman’s origin. It shows her living it up on Themiscyra while simultaneously showing Steve Trevor going on various army activities. The lives of these two are contrasted here in a way that allows readers to learn a ton about them both in a very short time. We see both of them are sufficient with combat, socially popular, and longing for something more. This contrast is explored perfectly and serves as a solid structure from which readers can base their opinions of the two from here on out.

After introductions are made, the real story begins as Steve Trevor’s plane crash lands on the beaches of Themiscyra. This initiates the standard version of Wonder Woman’s origin, with her winning a contest against all of the Amazons and being tasked with returning Steve Trevor back home. However, the way that Greg Rucka tells this tale is truly commendable. You can feel the emotions from Wonder Woman, her mother, and the rest of the Amazons as they say goodbye to their princess. It is sometimes overlooked that this is a farewell story between a mother and daughter so it was great to see it handled as such here.

The middle of the story introduces the supporting cast of characters and the main antagonist of the story. What makes this so great is how much the supporting cast matters. They are not just side characters who’s only purpose is to talk about and support our main character; they have their own thoughts and personalities. Barbara even gets her own solo issue to focus on her alone. This combined with her plotline in Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Lies, gives her character a wealth of development. This story understands that to make Wonder Woman great, her friends need to be great as well.

If there is a problem with this book it is how quickly and suddenly the ending comes about. Most of the arc has teased a showdown with the Sear terrorists and then Ares. However, the entire showdown takes place very quickly within one issue. It almost seems like the big threat was not a problem at all. Though this rushed ending does not diminish the great work done through the rest of the series, it does make the conclusion of the book feel forced and somewhat unnecessary.

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Art

Nicola Scott does the artwork in all but one story in this volume. In terms of overall quality, this is a very good thing as Scott’s artwork is fantastic. I was already a fan of Scott’s artwork from her work with Rucka on Black Magick Vol. 1: The Awakening (Review), but seeing it again here is great in its own unique way. The characters and background here are drawn with more brevity and optimism, with less gritty realism, a factor that melds perfectly with the hopeful nature of the story.

In particular, Nicola Scott’s art looks its best when she is drawing detailed backgrounds and locations. The second page of this book shows a panoramic view of the coastline of Themiscyra that makes it seem like the paradise it has always been rumored to be. Yet Scott does not stop there. Beautiful depictions of animals, a wonderful cityscape, a tranquil desert, and tons of Wonder Woman splash pages keep the art fresh and interesting throughout. Scott clearly has an eye for detail and this series is benefiting from it.

Continuity

Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One was published concurrently alongside Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Lies (Review). These two volumes are connected to one another through vague references that become more clear as the story goes on.

The Wonder Woman series continues in Wonder Woman Vol. 3: The Truth (Review). The story from this volume directly continues in Wonder Woman Vol. 4: Godwatch.

Besides these pieces of continuity, this book only makes one other reference to comics and it is a reference to the industry in general rather than any one specific comic book:

• The man who is first brought in to speak with Wonder Woman had the last name Perez. He also looks remarkably similar to George Perez, writer of some of the most famous Wonder Woman stories of all time.